Controlled fermentation of food can be used as a means of improving functionality of food. Diary whey and vegetable oils are foods which may be an economical source of fermentable substrates. They are widely used as ingredients in manufactured foods. If whey or whey and vegetable oil can be functionalized by fermentation with an organism that produces an emulsifier when grown on these substrates, it is possible to obtain products that may serve the function of an emulsifier or emulsion stabilizer.
Whey is the fluid medium containing a very low concentration of milk solids and a high concentration of lactose. Disposal of this waste by-product by drying is an energy-intensive, expensive procedure which results in an expensive by-product. Sewering of the whey is prohibitive in cost due to the high biological oxygen demand which is placed on municipal sewer systems.
Vegetable oils are extracted and refined products derived from various plants such as corn, soybeans, and sunflower plants for example. These oils are consumed as foods themselves or as constituents of other prepared foods.
The most desirable method of handling a whey waste stream is to produce a high quality natural food ingredient from the whey waste product. Applicant has discovered a novel method of producing a functionalized whey product or the whey product plus vegetable oils for use as a food ingredient or any type of product where milk solids, lactose or vegetable oils are acceptable ingredients.